Category: VA

Food Crawl

In 2013, Dishcrawl stormed into town giving RUNINOut a run for the money. During their events, food lovers gather together and visit several restaurants themed around a type of food or neighborhood. It’s a fun way to discover different restaurants, meet new people and enjoy some amazing food.

On October 5, 2013, Dishcrawl held the world’s largest one-day chef competition called Battledish where foodies and the general public sampled food from six different restaurants and chose their favorite dish. Events were held on Saturday in major cities from coast to coast such as Seattle, New Orleans, D.C., and San Francisco.

Qui-Juan Jones, the local coordinator asked me if I wanted to be a judge — he didn’t have to wait long for an answer. I was honored to be amongst a cast of scraggly bloggers and was looking forward to strolling up and down U Street sucking on grilled diver scallops from The Tap & Parlour, nibbling on buttermilk fried chicken from DC 9, and chewing on charred octopus from Ulah Bistro.

[ Image: Battle Dish Judges.png ]

Battle Dish Judges

DC-9 is a nightclub that hosted D.C.’s top go-go musicians from Chuck Brown to the Young Senators. Wayne Manigo is a huge fan of D.C.’s homegrown funk. In the early 70s, Chuck Brown laid the groundwork for new music inspired by funk, blues, soul, and salsa, and D.C. was where this groundbreaking genre was born.

“Yeah, the go-go music has made a huge impact in my life and my career in comedy. There were many nights I would stay out late at DC-9, but the beat was so infectious, it carried me through all during the week.”

Wayne was also interested in hearing about the Battledish competition.

“I have a lot of respect for the chefs that pour their blood, sweat, and tears on U Street — it’s hard to run a restaurant on these tough streets.”

I took a sip of my Absolute ruby red peach liqueur which was sweet but not strong enough. “Yes, running a business is a huge challenge here — it’s where many restaurants barely survive and die.”

Wayne took a bite of my hush puppies and nodded in approval.

“Down the road, in D.C. Central Kitchens, Chefs Jerald Thomas and Marianne trained me. I owe a debt of gratitude to these master chefs. Because of them, I’m no longer a starving artist.”

After Ulah was announced the winner, and everyone was stuffed and had a fabulous time, I thanked Qui-Juan for the priceless opportunity to serve as a judge.

“We should host an event together next time. Same format, the same number of restaurants, just sans the judging.”

“That’ll be great. Just networking eating and drinking. Where are you thinking?”

“We haven’t done many events in Virginia. Can we find a walkable place with lively nightlife, lots of young people, and diverse restaurants?

Tucked away just north of Arlington and west of Rosslyn, Clarendon used to be a sleepy town, straddling the line between city and suburb. In 2009, the Washington Post described Clarendon as “the hippest spot north of Richmond and south of the Potomac1

It was Saturday, August 9, 2014

Here are excerpts from the blog written by Annamaria for RUNINDC

[ Image: Annamaria @ Spice.png ]

Annamaria @ Spice

What a treat! You simply can’t beat five lovely restaurants in the heart of Arlington for only $40 per person. A play on those fun Pub Crawls that seem to be happening everywhere these days, the Clarendon Food Crawl, took lucky participants on a culinary tour of Ireland, Italy, Mexico & El Salvador, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Hosted by RUNINOut and Social Group D.C., it was well worth the time and money spent.

The group started at Ri Ra Irish Pub. The decor was amazing as it was built from authentic Irish Salvage materials some dating back over 100 years.

We started with the potato and leek soup with potato croutons and served with brown soda bread. This paired nicely with an Irish Mac & cheese with toasted bread crumbs with Irish cheddar.

We were served excellent fish and chips, prepared by Mike Grasso, accompanied by tartar sauce, a slice of lemon, and malted vinegar as is traditional in Ireland. The cod was cooked perfectly, flaky and wonderfully moist, inside with a nice thick beer batter and hand-cut chips. To top it off, we enjoyed a Guinness sundae Guinness draft on vanilla ice cream with Jameson whipped creme

Next, we traveled next door to Clarendon’s little slice of Italy at Faccia Luna. We were greeted with a huge buffet-style meal of pizza (pepperoni, cheese, and veggies) and salad.

This is Judy Castiglia’s first event with RUNINOut and was referred by her friend Jason “Foodgeek” of DCFüd.

“The crust was thin, but not too thin and it has great flavor. The sauce was tangy and garlicky, and the pepperoni was the perfect addition,” said Judy.

I was pleased to find they didn’t cook their pizzas to the point of being crackers as some places do. The Italian salad was an excellent complement to the pizza, and the accompanying choices of Balsamic Vinaigrette and Ranch went well with the iceberg, radicchio, mushrooms, and shredded mozzarella. Like Ri Ra, Faccia Luna’s decor was classy and gorgeous and definitely worth visiting. The restaurant has been a mainstay of Clarendon since 1992.

[ Image: Judy Castagna (far right) sitting across from Anna Maria.png ]

Judy Castiglia (far right) sitting across from Anna Maria

The third stop on our trip through the various nationalities of food along Washington St. was Mexicali Blues which boasted the largest patio seating on the block and its own charms such as the Coronita, an original mixture of a margarita served with a Corona held upside down inside the ‘rita.

[ Image: Qui-Juan Jones.png ]

Qui-Juan Jones (right) & friends

Basically, as you drank the margarita the corona replaced the missing liquid. On the inside, the restaurant boasted plenty of seating as well. This was most assuredly a great place for large get-togethers and events. The decor was a good mix of traditional Hispanic colors, paintings, and artifacts such as a bull’s head mounted in the corner, pottery, and the day of the dead painted skulls. Each person got a plate of the Yucca con Chicharron. The yucca which is a plant native to Central and South America was lightly fried but not well seasoned in my opinion.

The yucca root had a taste and texture similar to potato yet marginally sweeter. It was cooked to nice doneness where the skin was refreshingly crisp and the inside still soft. Naturally, it is very mild and I felt a touch of salt would not have hurt this side dish. My fellow table-mate at this event said traditionally he thought it was caramelized a bit more but not salted. That would have worked also in improving the tame taste of yucca. What did save the side dish was the outstanding horseradish sauce. I cannot say just how much I love horseradish, I swear I could eat it raw. For those not quite so fond of this root don’t despair, Mexicali Blues’ offering is light enough to please any palate. The cabbage salad that came with our small plate was lovely, crunchy, and spicy but not overly hot. Lastly, the Chicharron was less than optimal. The flavor was spot on, savory with plenty of spices blended in the sauce it is simmered in. The pork however was simply over-cooked which is a shame because there is almost nothing as good as a succulent bite of pork. I can’t write this place off entirely based just on the food sample and am planning on a return trip at some point if for no other reason than to get a Coronita.

At Spice, the fourth restaurant on our list, we were served family-style – one huge platter per table. Located right across the street from Mexicali Blues, this minimalist deli-style corner spot had limited indoor seating but their shaded patio was airy and spacious. For our meal, there was a choice of roasted chicken or salmon served on extra-long grain rice, with sides of potato or carrots, and salad. The roasted chicken had a good full flavor with just enough lemon and olive oil. The salmon dish was cooked with its combination of herbs and olive oil was absolutely deliciously infused into the delicate flesh of the salmon.

Yasser Mohammed opened Spice to showcase his wife, Rahma’s amazing cooking. “We want to keep the quality high. Each day we cook small portions in order to keep every dish fresh.”

The lamb was marinated for 24 hours. The Amoroso Hoagie rolls delivered from Philadelphia were made with 680-day-old prosciutto, imported from Parma, Italy. The chicken was grilled with seven different spices.

With Yasser’s eye for these fine details and Rahma’s natural flair for cooking, Spice offered an authentic Mediterranean menu in a beautiful, colorful setting.

The final big blow-out was at Hunan One next door. The inside was enormous with ample bar seating, plenty of booths, tables, and bar-stool islands near the windows that accommodated groups of all sizes. Starting with the bar they had a good list of beers and wines presented at nice discounts for our group. We got half off wine bottles, pints at $5.50, and $4.75 rail drinks. I split a bottle of a lovely White Zinfandel with Judy which went well with our samples. As was my tradition, I tried the hot sauce first. It was a spicy chili sauce that delivered a medium-hot level of heat but didn’t kick me in the mouth.

The spring rolls were light, fresh, and delicious and the chicken and beef satays were marinated with spices and served with peanut sauce.

My only real letdown was the crab rangoon which was a little toothsome and seemed as though it had come from a frozen bag instead of being freshly made. Also, it was overly sweet causing me to wonder how exactly they got it that sweet. Finally, the chicken wings were exceptionally seasoned with five-spice and were delectable! A thin layer of crust on the outside and perfectly done and juicy on the inside, they make my list of dishes to return and have more of in the future.

[ Image: Rob Webster .png ]

Rob Webster

On the whole, the Clarendon Food Crawl was a big success. The tour explored both familiar and new, agreeable experiences. Friends were made, good food and libations imbibed and we finally had our first food crawl in our belt.

By Annamaria

“Great job on the blog post Annamaria!”

“As long as there’s free food, I don’t mind writing for free.”

“I like you a lot better than Bindesh and Rob. They come to my events and all they do is eat, flirt with the girls, tell some jokes and maybe post pics on social media. You’re giving back to the restaurants by writing a decent blog and which many readers consider a credible source of information.”

1 Amanda Abrams, Clarendon: Happily Straddling the Line Between City and Suburb, DC.urbanturf.com, May 11, 2010

July 25, 2022
The Tower

In October 1984, I enlisted in the Navy straight out of high school in a small town in Southeast Georgia. After serving aboard the USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067) in Yokosuka, Japan (the land of my mother), I applied for a commissioning program and the Navy awarded me a scholarship to the University of Florida where I earned my degree in Material Science and Engineering. Upon my commissioning, I served as a Fire Control Officer and Navigator aboard USS O’Ban non (DD-987) in Charleston, South Carolina. and Mayport, Florida, and as Cruise Missile Training Officer in San Diego, California. After back-to-back sea tours, I wanted to broaden my horizons beyond Surface Warfare so I lateral transferred to the Public Affairs Community. I served as the P.A.O. for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), which deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom after 9/11, and as the Public Affairs Officer for Bethesda Naval Hospital (now Walter Reed) where a generation of warfighters healed and moved on. After Bethesda, I was assigned to The Office of the Secretary of Defense where I served as a spokesman for detainee affairs in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. There wasn’t a single day that I wasn’t answering a media query about the health and well-being of our Gitmo detainees, and after two years of shuffling back and forth from D.C. to Camp Delta, I was ready to return to military medicine. I served as the P.A.O. for the Surgeon General of the Navy, an assignment that required a lot of traveling to visit our medical forces in the U.S. and abroad. My final duty was as a P.A.O. for the U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander where I got to do a lot of traveling in Europe as well as visit our troops in Afghanistan. By then, I was both burned out and washed out and my marriage fell apart due to the stressors of the military, and in Nov. 2009, I retired with 20 years of combined service.

I was ready to reboot and start a brand new career in the private sector. Thankfully, the Veterans Affairs offered generous G.I. Bill education benefits, so I applied to the George Washington University School of Business hoping to incorporate my experience and appreciation with social media in my career. I enrolled in the Executive MBA program, a degree where I fit in because it was targeted to senior managers who were already in the workforce. The school was in high demand due to the great recession as many unemployed decided to return to school. Before the semester started, our cohort of 20 eager students embarked on a five-day retreat at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

We were attending sessions that didn’t require powerpoint or pointers, but still had everything to do with leadership development. Because the truth is, you can’t learn management from just inside a classroom.

After spending two days engaged in team-building exercises and thought-provoking discussions, we were ready to get some fresh air. The next morning, we hiked down the Allegheny Mountain gorge trail, through the thick forest, past the lovely cascade falls until we arrived in the middle of a grassy field with a gigantic wall affectionately known as the Tower. At first glance, the 40-foot Tower seemed daunting and insurmountable.

Throughout life, we face many obstacles both personal and professional. The key to responding to these roadblocks is to face them head-on and to rely on the support from others around you. This is teamwork — being supported and supporting each other. To work as a team, it’s imperative to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. The better we know one another, the better we’re able to assist each other.

The Ropes Course is a metaphor for problem-solving — it challenges us to face our fears and climb on. The higher you climb, the more you rely on your team for support.

The first task was to have each person assist their team members in donning their harnesses — the one crucial piece of equipment that would ensure our safety and protection.

Then each three-member team ascended in tandem facing the challenge of not having enough steps for all three to ascend at the same time. Sometimes a climber would have to take a step down in order for another climber to proceed. That was ok, as long as they all reached their final goal together.

Meanwhile, the rope handlers kept a close eye on the climbers, coaching them on where to place their hands and feet and providing support and encouragement so that the 3-member team could ascend up to the top together and then back down.

When it was my turn to go, I knew I could rely on my teammates Senodja Walker and Amir Moore.

Rope team:

“Senodja, place the right hand on the block and your left foot on the step.”

“Amir, move your right foot off the step and place it on the block so that Senodja can place her foot on it.”

As the climbers moved up the wall and then back down, the Belay teams were tasked to remove the slack by paying out or pulling in the excess line. They kept a close eye and a taut line, but they were not allowed to pull the crew up the wall — the climbers had to figure this out on their own.

Climbers: “Slack!” (pay out a little rope.)

Belayers: pays out the rope and pauses to see if climbers ask again.

Eventually, all of us made it over the wall and back down, taking one step at a time. The journey in life is rarely simplistic and straightforward. If we keep striving, we will eventually reach our goals, even if we have to climb over life’s challenges, obstacles, and setbacks.

Senodja completes her climb

The EMBA class was broken down into five groups of four and we would remain in our group for the entire two years. One of the first projects that we worked on was the Airline Pilots Association. ALPA, with 53,000 members and 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, is the largest airline labor union in the world.

We were having a conference call on Skype when I touted the fact that airlines such as Jet Blue and Delta have successfully used Twitter and Facebook to promote their services and to provide updates on weather and flight cancellations.

“I’ve had it with you. Your solution to everything is always social media!” Eli my classmates exclaimed.

This wasn’t the first time he had said that and we always seemed to butt heads over the value of social media for building brand awareness and winning new customers.

I immediately slammed the phone down in disgust, ending the conference call.

The next thing I did was call Senodja on the phone. “I can’t work with Eli any longer — he’s so unaccepting of social media. I’m here to learn and broaden my horizon, not to clash heads with idiots who are operating in the stone age.”

“Wish you could join my team, but we’re already maxed out.”

“Then maybe I should try to understand his point of view better and discuss our differences.”

“Or perhaps you could transfer out of the EMBA and enroll in the Professional MBA program — it may take a little longer to complete but you’re offered a choice of a wide selection of classes and will be collaborating with a diverse myriad of people, many I’m sure value the virtues of social media.”

October 1984

I enlisted in the Navy, straight out of high school in a small town in Southeast Georgia., named Darien. After serving aboard the USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067) in Yokosuka, Japan (the land of my mother), I applied for a commissioning program and the Navy awarded me a scholarship to the University of Florida where I earned my degree in Material Science and Engineering. Upon my commissioning, I served as a Fire Control Officer and Navigator aboard USS O’Ban non (DD-987) in Charleston, South Carolina. and Mayport, Florida., and as Cruise Missile Training Officer in San Diego, California. After back-to-back sea tours, I wanted to broaden my horizons beyond Surface Warfare so I lateral transferred to the Public Affairs Community.

I served as the Public Affairs Officer for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), which deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom after 9/11, and as the P.A.O. for Bethesda Naval Hospital (now Walter Reed) where a generation of warfighters healed and moved on. After Bethesda, I was assigned to The Office of the Secretary of Defense where I served as a spokesman for detainee affairs in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. There wasn’t a single day that I wasn’t answering a media query about the health and well-being of our Gitmo detainees, and after two years of shuffling back and forth from D.C. to Camp Delta, I was ready to return to military medicine. I served as the Public Affairs Officer for the Surgeon General of the Navy, an assignment that required a lot of traveling to visit our medical forces in the U.S. and abroad. My final duty was as a P.A.O. for the U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander where I got to do a lot of traveling in Europe as well as visit our troops in Afghanistan. By then, I was both burned out and washed out and my marriage fell apart due to the stressors of the military, and in Nov. 2009, I retired with 20 years of combined service.

I was ready to reboot and start a brand new career in the private sector. Thankfully, the Veterans Affairs offered generous GI Bill education benefits, so I applied to the George Washington University School of Business hoping to incorporate my experience and appreciation with social media in my career. I enrolled in the Executive MBA program, a degree where I fit in because it was targeted to senior managers who were already in the workforce. The school was in high demand due to the great recession as many unemployed decided to return to school. Before the semester started, our cohort of 20 eager students embarked on a five-day retreat at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

We were attending sessions that didn’t require powerpoint or pointers, but still had everything to do with leadership development. Because the truth is, you can’t learn management from just inside a classroom.

After spending two days engaged in team-building exercises and thought-provoking discussions, we were ready to get some fresh air. The next morning, we hiked down the Allegheny Mountain gorge trail, through the thick forest, past the lovely cascade falls until we arrived in the middle of a grassy field with a gigantic wall affectionately known as the Tower. At first glance, the 40-foot Tower seemed daunting and insurmountable.

Throughout life, we face many obstacles both personal and professional. The key to responding to these roadblocks is to face them head-on and to rely on the support from others around you. This is teamwork — being supported and supporting each other. To work as a team, it’s imperative to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. The better we know one another, the better we’re able to assist each other.

The Ropes Course is a metaphor for problem-solving — it challenges us to face our fears and climb on. The higher you climb, the more you rely on your team for support.

The first task was to have each person assist their team members in donning their harnesses — the one crucial piece of equipment that would ensure our safety and protection.

Then each three-member team ascended in tandem facing the challenge of not having enough steps for all three to ascend at the same time. Sometimes a climber would have to take a step down in order for another climber to proceed. That was ok, as long as they all reached their final goal together.

Meanwhile, the rope handlers kept a close eye on the climbers, coaching them on where to place their hands and feet and providing support and encouragement so that the 3-member team could ascend up to the top together and then back down.

When it was my turn to go, I knew I could rely on my teammates Senodja Walker and Amir Moore.

Rope team:

“Senodja, place the right hand on the block and your left foot on the step.”

“Amir, move your right foot off the step and place it on the block so that Senodja can place her foot on it.”

As the climbers moved up the wall and then back down, the Belay teams were tasked to remove the slack by paying out or pulling in the excess line. They kept a close eye and a taut line, but they were not allowed to pull the crew up the wall — the climbers had to figure this out on their own.

Climbers: “Slack!” (pay out a little rope.)

Belayers: pays out the rope and pauses to see if climbers ask again.

Eventually, all of us made it over the wall and back down, taking one step at a time. The journey in life is rarely simplistic and straightforward. If we keep striving, we will eventually reach our goals, even if we have to climb over life’s challenges, obstacles, and setbacks.

The EMBA class was broken down into five groups of four and we would remain in our group for the entire two years. One of the first projects that we worked on was the Airline Pilots Association. ALPA, with 53,000 members and 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, is the largest airline labor union in the world.

We were having a conference call on Skype when I touted the fact that airlines such as Jet Blue and Delta have successfully used Twitter and Facebook to promote their services and to provide updates on weather and flight cancellations.

“I’ve had it with you. Your solution to everything is always social media!” Eli my classmates exclaimed.

This wasn’t the first time he had said that and we always seemed to butt heads over the value of social media for building brand awareness and winning new customers.

I immediately slammed the phone down in disgust, ending the conference call.

The next thing I did was call Senodja on the phone. “I can’t work with Eli any longer — he’s so unaccepting of social media. I’m here to learn and broaden my horizon, not to clash heads with idiots who are operating in the stone age.”

“Wish you could join my team, but we’re already maxed out.”

“Then maybe I should try to understand his point of view better and discuss our differences.”

“Or perhaps you could transfer out of the EMBA and enroll in the Professional MBA program — it may take a little longer to complete but you’re offered a choice of a wide selection of classes and will be collaborating with a diverse myriad of people, many I’m sure value the virtues of social media.”

July 10, 2022
Tara Temple

June 24, 2014

It used to be part of the Tara Thai chain. But with a new owner, new renovations and Buddhist sculptures flanking the entrance, the name morphed to Tara Temple. If D.C. was the banquet hall, Arlington was the backyard. It was a town where I had the least amount of clients and the fewest number of events. So when manager Shine Chuenyam invited me to host an event at the Temple, I was more than happy to oblige.

When I approached, I was met by two mythical stone lions standing guard at an ironclad double door. As I walked in, I could see that the foyer was shaped like the entrance of a Thai temple with shiny red columns and a sweeping temple roof.

I was greeted by stone statues of Buddhist deities praying. And also familiar faces — Wayne Manigo my favorite local stand-up comic, and Orlando Darden, my favorite trainer were already seated at the bar.

The Temple was spacious with a large oval-shaped bar, plenty of comfy couches and semi-circular booths for those who yearn for a private conversation. The decor was sleek and modern and it definitely set the tone for the entire evening.

As I made my way around the bar, I noticed two lovely women with bronze skin tones and golden brown hair.

Deb Santos & Roxana Johnson

“Are you two sisters?”

“Close, we’re best of friends.”

“From around here?”

A petite girl with a toothy smile donned in a yellow floral print dress pointed to her friend. “Roxy is — born and raised. I’m Deb from Chicago.”

“Great sports city. So you must love Mike Ditka and Michael Jordan?”

“Absolutely, and Roxy is a huge Redskins fan, so she loves RG3 and Joe Theismann. I’m a huge Blackhawks fan.”

“And home of the deep dish pizza — what your favorite type of food when you’re really hungry and you care who you’re eating out with?”

Deb nursed her martini with extra vermouth. “Hands down, Sheecago is the best. Love the wood-fired pizzas from Matchbox to go with the milkshakes from Ted’s Bulletin.”

Roxy took a gulp of her Singha.”The birria tacos from El Rey and the soy garlic wings and kimchi from Bonchon.”

“Sounds perfect. And I just love the 1920’s art deco setup at Ted’s and the shipping container design at El Rey.”

It was at that time that Wayne came by to steal the show.

“And for laughs, you should check out the Bier Baron Tavern and Comedy Loft.”

“Girls, this is Wayne our resident comic. He’s also my top promoter who will attest to the fact that on RUNINOut you can search for your favorite type of food, events, ambience, or even team sports, and the site will provide personalized recommendations in the local area.”

Roxy’s eyes lit up. “Really, can you search who is serving the wheat beer, Hell or High Watermelon?”

“The Cantina Marina at the Wharf,” I replied in an instant.

“Can you search for places that are pet friendly?” Deb requested.

I quickly tapped into my phone. “Wonderland Ballroom — do you own a rescue?”

“Don’t have one yet, but I really want a Dalmation — heard they are beautiful and brainy.”

“Sweet. I have a pit bull named Georgia and a sun conure called Apollo — my parrot who likes to drink Guinness at the Irish Channel.”

Next, I strolled over to greet Christine who was sipping on a Singha Mojito while waiting for her lobster sushi roll.

Shortly after, Khoi Tran showed up. An Air Force officer stationed in the Pentagon, he is also a food connoisseur and loves to blog about his experiences.

“I love a Thai restaurant that serves good sushi,” he said. “Sushi that’s creative with a fine presentation.”

Shine Chuenyam brought out the next delicacy — the Sunomono Salad consisting of octopus, cuttlefish, cucumber, and seaweed over a bed of shredded white radish with sweet rice vinegar and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

For two hours, Shine kept putting out phenomenal appetizers like we were Thai royalty, and we were ordering $2.50 draft Kirin and Singhas like they were Poland Springs.

Orlando quickly showed off his chopstick precision skills by extracting a red cuttlefish out of the medley.

“Mmm, juicy and rich – it’s a cross between a squid and an octopus.”

“Nah, I’m good,” said Wayne. “I prefer to get my ink from Staples.”

Christine giggled then decided to bust out a one-liner herself. “So what did Sushi A say to Sushi B?”

“C’mon Wasabi,” Wayne replied cracking up together with Christine.

“That’s right, I forgot to tell you that’s not avocado that you’re eating,” Shine smiled as he poured another round of tequila.

All the guys partook, sprinkling salt all over the counter and sucking lemon wedges as if they were adult pacifiers.

“Wow that Don Julio really packs a punch,” said Orlando. “Now I’m ready to go in the ring.”

Wayne grabbed a tuna nigiri with precision and held it next to his mouth. “As for me, my lane is in the kitchen. Being a chef is hard work. But a sushi chef, all you gotta do is resist the temptation to not cook the food – how hard is that?”

Shine served an enticing plate of dragon roll. “Alright smart aleck, no more caviar for you.”

Wayne devoured the entire roll. “All joking aside, this sushi is out of this world. And the rice, you nailed it. It’s even better than my favorite spot on H Street, Sticky Rice.”

Since Khoi arrived a bit late, Christine was happy to feed him. Khoi was reluctant at first since as a military officer, he was used to fending for himself, but Christine wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“I’m a cook and feeding my friends is an act of love.”

“C’mon now, this isn’t omakase. Khoi can get his own damn unagi,” The Mezcal was making Wayne funnier by the minute.

I waited till Khoi finished chewing his nigiri. “So what do you do on your free time? Are you visiting a lot of different restaurants?”

“I wish I had time to do more. A lot of life doesn’t happen because I’m attending graduate school in International Relations — a lot of writing, poring over textbook chapters, and reflecting on feedback from professors and peers.”

Christine pulled the lobster tail out of the shell. “Yes, education is important, but so is making new friends.”

I turned to her and said, “You need to come to our events more often. No one will ever complain that they didn’t get enough to eat.”

“And you two bozos,” as I looked over at Wayne and Orlando. “You guys can take it easy on the booze and sushi. Sometimes, they just don’t go together.”

Orlando took another bite of his sashimi. “Talk about hypocrisy — I haven’t seen you stop drinking except when you were chatting up with the chics. When are we going running again?”

“Yes, I really need to seriously cut back in my drinking. Both my physical and mental health has taken a back seat.”

June 11, 2022
Iron Chef

One sunny weekend during the fall of 2013. The restaurant scene in G-Town was abuzz with tourist activity. I passed Georgetown Piano Bar and then Jinx Tattoo parlor, soothing sounds of reggae music emanated from the brown brick establishment. Bandolero was next and this is where I hoped I would cut my first big deal.

I was taken aback by the “Day of the Dead” atmosphere complete with metal cemetery gates and faux animal skulls hanging eerily on the walls. The interior was dark, the music deafening, the entire ambience spooky and western-chic.

I sat at the bar and ordered suckling pig tacos and grilled corn on the cob. The bartender poured me “El Bandolero”, their house Margarita on tap. He garnished it with lime and it was delectably rimmed with citrus salt.

After my meal, I waited anxiously, wondering whether I should order another cocktail.

Luckily, when I turned around, I came face to face with the Top Chef, himself, Mike Isabella. He wore his usual gray short sleeve chef coat, his right arm adorning a brass-knuckled pizza cuter tattoo, and on his left a brand new Mexican Cowboy. He was clean-shaven and wore a big smile. But his voice was gruff and he seemed dismissive.

“Thank you for showing me your website, but we’re not interested in your service. We have our own publicist and graphic designer. Our business is doing just fine.”

“How ’bout hosting an event here, say 20-30 people, select appetizers, social media coverage, you name it?”

“You’re welcome to speak to our manager to arrange an event. But we’re quite busy as it is, and we won’t be comping any meals.”

Shortly, after Isabella went back to the open kitchen, I returned to my pedicab and quietly rode to my next stop. As I steered down L St towards the GWU campus, I passed Bar McFadden’s to my left and 51st State Bar to my right, both great establishments to catch a game after work. But for now, I had seen my share of D.C. eateries. Tomorrow, I would venture into the Commonwealth to engage with other Top Chefs.

Crystal City, VA. has for many years been the home of military contractors and govies. During lunch and happy hour, they perennially congregate on restaurant row or at José Andrés’ Jaleo enjoying traditional as well as cutting-edge flavors.

Adjacent to Jaleo on Crystal Drive was Chef Morou’s Kora, a trattoria-style Italian restaurant that opened a couple of years ago.

As I approached the street-side glass doors, fondant blue jays chirped from olive trees that billowed over the sidewalk.

When I entered, I was greeted with dangling tree branches. Glowing tree canopies created a sense of intimacy. On the wall behind the kiln-fired pizza oven, decal tree branch silhouettes conferred a feeling of calm and relaxation.

I sat at the bar and ordered a Dark & Stormy. Then devoured a slice of the chicken pesto pizza.

Minutes later, Chef Morou entered with his crisp, white chef coat.

I sat at the bar and ordered a Dark & Stormy. Then devoured a slice of the chicken pesto pizza.

Minutes later, Chef Morou entered with his crisp, white chef coat.

I immediately recognized him. Slim and handsome with a pencil-thin mustache and goatee. The winner of an Iron Chef America competition in D.C., Chef Morou challenged Bobby Flay in Season 3.

“Love the ambience. It’s so sophisticated and chic.”

“Thank you, I got your email and looked over your site.”

Chef Morou who grew up on the Ivory Coast cooks like he talks “American with an accent.”

“So would love to build a new website for you to go with your contemporary design.”

“Well, I know a thing or two about tech, I studied computer science in college. But lately I’ve been quite busy scouting a location for another restaurant in D.C. and launching my African spice lines.”

“I understand that you’re very busy. That’s why you should hire us to promote your restaurant and feature your dishes.”

“Yes, I have a big event tonight in Farrah Olivia that I have to plan.”

“Super, Bien, et toi.”

Although Morou was still contemplating, his response was more favorable and warm. I returned to my batmobile and rode through restaurant row

The following week, I got a text message from Morou.

“Thanks for visiting. My wife, Heather, says your service is nice but not needed.”

“I know that marketing and social media is considered the low-hanging fruit, but it’s extremely valuable to increase sales.”

“We have a lot of overhead. Our restaurant is gigantic and our ceilings are 24 feet high – you can fit a church in here. Our utility bill alone is sky high.”

“I totally understand Chef, but what if we hosted an event. We would invite 20-30 people, you comp the meals and we in return will feature your cuisine all over social media.”

The next day, I contacted Michael Galang, founder of Thursday Connect to see if he would help promote the event. Each person would pay $20 and we would split the proceeds.

Morou was born and raised on the Ivory Coast in West Africa and learned how to cook by watching his mother prepare feasts for their large family of 33 children. When he immigrated to America in 1988, he was hired as a dishwasher at Ristorante I Ricchi and was eventually promoted when a co-worker quit an hour before opening. Eventually, Morou was hired as the executive chef for Signature. Lobbyist Abramoff, who owned the restaurant, frequently provided free meals to sway lawmakers. Tom DeLay, Bob Ney and John Doolittle were his favorite guests

But after the scandal hit the news, politicos no longer wanted to be seen at the restaurant, and the restaurant was doomed to join D.C. Eater’s list of Closures.

On the morning of the event, there were only 10 RSVPs and a few more that indicated interest. But we had room at our table for 20, and we needed butts in every seat.

It was then, that I gave my good friend Jackie a call.

“Hey Hon, we need a big favor. How quickly can you contact your friends to come to an Italian dinner at 7?”

“I’ll go through our listserv with BookaLokal (marketplace for group dining experiences) and see what I can arrange.”

“You helped me tremendously with the Chinese feast at Ming’s, if you could pull a monkey out of the hat, I would be indebted to you for life.”

Two hours prior to the event, Michael and I waited anxiously hoping for a decent turnout. We paced up and down the restaurant along the purple walls, passing the colorful Andy Warhol-like portrait of his three-year-old daughter, Farrah.

We nibbled on calamari and sipped on Heavy Sea Lager. Little by little people started to trickle in. By dinner time, over 25 guests had shown up. We had met and exceeded all expectations.

We were able to photograph all the dishes and were able to garner all the content necessary to feature them on RUNINOut.

Unfortunately, Suzannah couldn’t make it. She birthed the idea of visiting celebrity Chefs but she was now working on her own startup idea. I didn’t expect to keep someone that talented for very long.

And Jackie, who came through in the clutch, did not have to pay a dime. All her food and beverages were comped by me. She had become my go-to miracle worker, and someone I would rely on whenever I got in a jam. There would be many more jams and like a 9th inning relief pitcher, we hoped to escape them all.

“What a smashing event. What’s next on your plate?” Michael asked.

“Haven’t given it much thought. It’s football season, so perhaps a Florida Gators watch party?”

“Yeah, sports is nice, but you can’t always rely on me to help out,” Jackie commented.

“I could use ten of you, frankly.”

“Then you should interact with the D.C. food bloggers. Chef Morou and other restauranteurs like him needs lots of coverage and publicity.”

After dinner, there wasn’t much nightlife activity on Crystal Drive, so Jackie and I and a few others crossed Route 1 to 23rd St where there is a small, bustling enclave with a bundle of hookah shops and international eateries

Right in the center stands Freddie’s Beach Bar, Northern Virginia’s longest-running gay bar. The beach-themed, purple-lavish bar is adorned with rainbow flags and pink flamingos. Freddie Lutz, who grew up down the hill, has owned the business for over 12 years. He is an affable man, a respected community leader, and has been working in the industry for over 35 years.

He opened Café Italia 20 years ago and then decided to open up a Gay bar up the road.

Before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” many gay service members were in the closet. All it took was someone to even think you were gay to report you. That’s why Freddie’s served as a safe refuge because it was advertised as a “straight-friendly” bar. This gave everyone protection – they won’t have to worry about being seen because straight people went there too.

When we walked in, we knew right away we were going to have fun. The bar was filled with patrons knocking back pints of Devil’s Backbone. A Ballard from Doris Day was belting in the background.

We found Freddie himself going table to table, mingling with customers like he was a council member.

“Freddie’s is the most diverse bar that I know of. It bridges the gap between the straight and gay communities – that’s one of the most magical things about us,” he said.

After chatting with Freddie and ordering our cocktails, I came upon two of my friends who had actually been my tenants for eight years.

Dywayne and Ty were enjoying the music, ambience, and cuisine.

“We just came from dinner at Kora across the street. You guys need to come to one of our events,” I suggested. “How’s Wade Road?”

“Everything in the apartment is fine. Will pencil that in on our calendar. By the way, you can come by Home Depot sometime and pick up your rent,” Ty said. “Unless you just want me to mail it to you.”

“Home Depot is fine. I gotta buy some supplies anyway. Can I find you at the Customer Service Desk?”

“Absolutely. You know which days I’m off. I can’t hide from you.”

“Freddie’s is such a great place to get together. We need one of these in every city,” Dywayne said.

“Couldn’t agree with you more. It’s such a great atmosphere.”

Despite Freddie’s popularity, gay bars today are dwindling since many bars have accepted the LGBTQ culture and have adopted drag shows to their regular performances. Freddie’s has been a huge building block for the community and fortunately will be here to stay.

“Next time, you have a craving for pasta, visit Café Italia down the road. They’ve been a fixture here since 1976.”

“Will do. And thanks for bridging the gap in our community.”

“Thanks for coming over,” Freddie said. “See you at Freddie’s Follies on Saturdays.”

Back then, Freddie’s and the D.C. sports bar Nellie’s were one of the few venues that featured drag brunch. Now it’s so popular that mainstream venues are serving up drag with their eggs benedict like it was just a cover band.

June 2, 2022
The Tower

I enrolled in the Executive MBA program, and before the semester started, our cohort of 20 eager students embarked on a five-day retreat at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

Our team coaching sessions led by Professor James Bailey didn’t require PowerPoint or pointers but still had everything to do with leadership development — You can’t create a leader in a classroom.

After spending two days engaged in team-building exercises and thought-provoking discussions, we were ready to get some fresh air. The next morning, we hiked down the Allegheny Mountain gorge trail, through the thick forest, past the lovely cascade falls until we arrived in the middle of a grassy field with a gigantic wall affectionately known as the Tower. At first glance, the 40-foot Tower seemed daunting and insurmountable.

Throughout life, we face many obstacles both personal and professional. The key to responding to these roadblocks is to face them head-on and to rely on the support from others around you. This is teamwork — being supported and supporting each other. To work as a team, it’s imperative to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. The better we know one another, the better we’re able to assist each other.

The Ropes Course is a metaphor for problem-solving — it challenges us to face our fears and climb on. The higher you climb, the more you rely on your team for support.

The first task was to have each person assist their team members in donning their harnesses — the one crucial piece of equipment for our safety and protection.

Then each team ascended in tandem facing the challenge of not having enough steps for all three to ascend at the same time. Sometimes a climber would have to take a step down in order for another climber to proceed. That was ok, as long as they all reached their final destination together.

Meanwhile, the rope handlers kept a close eye on the climbers, coaching them on where to place their hands and feet and providing support and encouragement so that the 3-member team could ascend up to the top together and then back down.

When it was my turn to go, I knew I could rely on my teammates Senodja Walker and Amir Moore.

Rope team:

“Senodja, place the right hand on the block and your left foot on the step.”

“Amir, move your right foot off the step and place it on the block so that Senodja can place her foot on it.”

As the climbers moved up the wall and then back down, the Belay teams were tasked to remove the slack by paying out or pulling in the excess line. They kept a close eye and a taut line, but they were not allowed to pull the crew up the wall — the climbers had to figure this out on their own.

Climbers: “Slack!” (pay out a little rope.)

Belayers: pays out the rope and pauses to see if climbers ask again.

Climbers: “Up rope.” (pull in rope slack.)

Belayers: pulls in rope and pause to see if climbers ask again.

Senodja Walker

Eventually, all of us made it over the wall and back down, taking one step at a time. The journey in life is rarely simplistic and straightforward. If we keep striving, we will eventually reach our goals, even if we have to climb over life’s challenges, obstacles, and setbacks.

The EMBA class was broken down into five groups of four and we would remain in our group for the entire two years. One of the first projects that we worked on was the Airline Pilots Association. ALPA, with 53,000 members and 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, is the largest airline labor union in the world.

We were having a conference call on skype when I touted the fact that airlines such as Jet Blue and Delta have successfully used Twitter and Facebook to promote their products and to provide updates on weather and flight cancellations.

“I’ve had it with you. Your solution to everything is always social media!” Eli my classmates exclaimed.

This wasn’t the first time he had said that and we always seemed to butt heads over the value of social media for building brand awareness and winning new customers.

I immediately slammed the phone down and ended the conference call.

The next thing I did was call Senodja on the phone. “I can’t work with Eli any longer — he’s so unaccepting of social media. I’m here to learn and broaden my horizon, not to clash heads.”

“Wish you could join my team, but we’re already maxed out.”

“Then maybe I should try to understand his point of view better and discuss our differences.”

“Or perhaps you could transfer out of the EMBA and enroll in the Professional MBA program — it may take a little longer to complete but you have a choice of a wide selection of classes and work with a diverse myriad of people.”

June 1, 2022
Il Radicchio

Arlington is chock full of superior Sunday Brunch specials, so enticing that Washingtonians cross the river weekly to get their fill of boozy brunches. Just drive down Wilson Blvd. from Ballston to Rosslyn and there are brunch specials aplenty.

Nestled between the intersection of Rosslyn and Courthouse, Il Radicchio has been serving oven-baked pizza and endless pasta specials since Clarendon was just a one-stoplight town.

In the late 90’s Chef Roberto Donna opened Il Radicchio to add to his 12-restaurant empire that reigned the DMV restaurant scene. There were actually two other restaurants with the same name — one in Capitol Hill and one in Georgetown.

It was a Donna concept similar to the well-acclaimed Galileo, yet more economical and efficient. While Carmine’s was known for authentic family-style dining with huge portions, Il Radicchio was known for its cozy, romantic ambiance serving smaller portions.

Judy Castiglia and I still had fond memories of last September’s meetup in Alba Osteria featuring authentic Northern Italian cuisine from Chef Donna’s Piedmont region. Now we wanted to see for ourselves if the current management kept the Donna gold standard alive.

It had snowed a few inches the day before, a small accumulation coated the trees — everything was sparkling. Families and romantic couples were enjoying eloquent meals and light conversation while the soothing tunes of Frank Sinatra played softly in the background. We felt the warmth of the Italian brick oven and admired the lively walls covered with drawings of ducks, rabbits, and radicchios.

I started with the fig arugula salad with pecans smothered in balsamic vinaigrette. “So, how’s your love life?”

“Haw. how’s yours?”

“Pizza and I are very happy together.”

“Hee hee! Meat lovers or veggie?”

“Neither just cheese.”

Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’m dating a guy named Don who I met from speed dating. Don’t think it will last, though.” Judy forked into her field greens tossed generously with grapes, walnuts, and goat cheese.

“Why he’s not smart enough for you?”

“No, he’s brilliant. But I don’t think he’s over his divorce from three years ago.”

I was admiring my beautifully plated rosemary lamb with poached eggs, chimichurri, and potato hash (russets mixed with sweet potatoes)

Judy was now absorbed in her bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with perfectly poached eggs and crispy polenta cakes.

Judy enjoying her bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin

I remember wanting to try the polenta last October at Donna’s Alba Osteria. But they went fast and were gone just as quick as when they arrived.”

“is that the dish with the baked octopus? They went like hotcakes — Chef (Amy) Brandwein is a rising star.”

“Yes, their eyes looked so inviting. And Chef (Andrew) Holden is doing an immaculate job today.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more. But what I really wanna know is why you think he’s not ready to commit.”

Judy cut into her tenderloin the brown sugar bacon drizzling in juice. “He lacks compassion and kindness for what I’m looking for. I made him a lasagna for Valentine’s, and he didn’t even bring a card.”

“What a prick.”

“Well he’s brought flowers before and done other nice stuff, so he knows how to be a gentleman.”

“Then was he trying to make a dumb statement?”

“I guess I’ll give it just a little more time to see.”

“I’ll say. It’s time for the second round.”

Rosibel Carranza, a young mother from El Salvador came over with more zesty dishes.

I couldn’t keep my eyes off Judy’s black Angus burger with crispy prosciutto and brûléed goat cheese.

Judy bit into her homemade pickle and then took a bite of the potato hash made with russet and sweet potatoes.

Judy was served by Rosibel.

“He has an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and has a security clearance so he’s probably not dangerous.”

“MBA – that’s a worthless degree nowadays. I can vouch for that.”

“Wait, if you didn’t return to school to get your MBA, you wouldn’t have founded RUNINOut.”

“And I wouldn’t have gone to Ethiopia and met all those inspiring leaders, either.”

“And if it wasn’t for Jason “Foodgeek” I never would have known about RUNINOut and all your great-tasting events”

“Well, bring Don to our next eatup so Foodgeek and I can grill him for you. We won’t let anything slip through the cracks.”

“I’ve invited Don before but so far he has shown no interest. He’s not into meeting people and trying different cuisines. Guess he’s kinda dull.”

“Well, then I would dump him for sure. He’s definitely not your type.”

“Yeah, I wish I can find someone smart, handsome, fun, happy, compassionate, and calm. That would be quite a catch.”

“Well, that’s a high standard. I can’t imagine too many suitors in this town would qualify.”

“Well, then what’s your idea of the ideal woman?”

“Someone who’s resourceful, understanding, able to communicate, innovative, and decisive.”

Judy snickered and violently shook her head. “No wonder you’re still single.”

“Well, right now I’m in love with my rosemary lamb chops.”

“I thought you were seeing Christine?”

“Oh no, we’re just friends. She’s an amazing woman tho, so she shouldn’t stay single for long.”

“Say, I have this friend I want you to meet — she’s super skinny and photogenic. Perhaps I’ll invite her to your next event.”

“Please do, but if she’s that pretty, then I’m probably not her type.”

“Well, do you use any dating apps?”

“I’ve tried Tinder and it’s just a lot of chatter and small talk purgatory.”

“How ’bout Hinge?”

“Yeah, I met the co-founders at DC Tech — they’re nice guys, but I wouldn’t recommend their app.”

“Why not.”

“Cuz I don’t think their algorithm referring friends of friends really works.”

“Well you’ve got a lot of friends on Facebook — maybe you can play matchmaker.”

I chewed on that thought for a second when Chef Holden appeared with a beautiful plate of yogurt cream parfait sprinkled magnificently with nectarines, lavender, and almond granola.

Chef Andrew Holden

Judy was still working on her burger “Oh no, if I only just had room.”

“Kudos to the Iron chef!” I lifted my dessert fork ready to pounce. “You’ve made Chef Donna proud.”

Andrew snickered “Yeah if Roberto Donna would just pay his taxes.”

May 30, 2022